Parker sat in the dank, stuffy police station, waiting to be interrogated one more time. How had it all come to this? He’d lived a quiet, law-abiding life since he’d returned to Magnolia Falls. And now, just when his life had taken a turn for the better because of Kate and Brandon, it had also taken a turn for the worse. What if he were arrested for Josie’s murder? Who would believe that he was innocent? And how could he ever prove it?
Kate would believe him, he thought, his prayers holding him steady. Kate would have to believe him.
Trying to take his mind off his current circumstances, he thought back over the night of the reunion, and remembered how Kate had come back into his life for that brief time, her presence brightening his world like a flower opening to full bloom.
Parker couldn’t believe Kate was actually coming to meet him. He had to remember to breathe. Just seeing Kate again caused his heart rate to accelerate. Leaning heavily on his cane, he watched her moving gracefully across the room, her smile shy and uncertain.
“Parker,” she said as they met in the middle of the dining room, just underneath one of the gleaming chandeliers. “It’s so good to see you again.”
“You, too,” he said, his voice sounding raw and husky. Trying to find his courage, he nodded. “You look great.”
She smiled again. “Thanks. I splurged on this dress.”
“I’d say it was worth it,” he responded, his heart warming to her smile. He might just make it through this yet. “How have you been?”
She shrugged, glanced around. “Oh, I’m doing fine. I’m a nurse now, at Magnolia Medical Center, in the neonatal department.”
That threw Parker. “Wow. And here I thought you’d gone off to find fame and fortune in Nashville.”
She shook her head, causing her dangling earrings to sway. “Oh, I went to Nashville, all right. But the only things I found were heartache and a…a man who turned out to be the worst husband possible. But one good thing came out of it—we had a beautiful child together. We divorced five years ago, and then I went back to school to become a nurse. I like being able to support myself and Brandon.”
“Brandon? You have a son.” It was a statement, an acknowledgment to all that he’d missed in life—a family, a real home. Kate had had that. And apparently lost it. “I’m sorry about the divorce. But…your ex-husband must have been a real loser to let you go.”
She seemed surprised at that declaration, and a bit embarrassed. “It wasn’t all his fault. I wanted a career and I guess I neglected him. Then when Brandon came along, things got better for a while, but by then my career had fizzled out and so had his patience. Apparently even though he resented my career, he had plans to capitalize on it. When his meal ticket ran out, so did he. Brought me down to earth pretty quickly.”
Parker let that soak in. “Do you ever sing anymore?”
“Oh, yes, but only at church functions and hospital get-togethers. Around work, they call me the singing nurse. I like to sing lullabies to the tiny babies in neonatal.”
Parker could just imagine her standing over a struggling infant, humming some soft sweet tune. He remembered hearing her sing in the college choir. Her solos had always been his favorite parts of those staid, proper concerts.
“I think that’s a very noble cause,” he said, wondering exactly when he’d forgotten how to speak without sounding like an imbecile. “I’m glad you still sing.”
She grinned. “Ah, but singing doesn’t pay the bills. I have a son to support now, since his father isn’t known for being dependable.” She let out a soft sigh. “Brandon is my first priority now.”
Before he could stop himself, Parker blurted, “I’d like to meet him sometime.”
She laughed. “Oh, Brandon would love that. He has several Patchman toys and he reads your comic books all the time. I find them hidden in his bedcovers, even when he’s supposed to go to sleep early. He can’t make out all the words since he’s only eight, but he sure can memorize the pictures.”
“A picture tells a thousand words,” Parker replied, thinking her obvious love for her son spoke volumes.
“It was nice to see you again, Kate.”
“Nice to see you again, too. Wow, I can’t wait to tell everyone at work I actually talked to the famous Parker Buchanan.”
Her words hit Parker the wrong way. Was she just like everyone else, only wanting to speak to him because he was “somebody” now? He should have known. But…this was Kate. She’d always been polite to everyone. Parker had been away from his college friends for so long, he wasn’t sure who he could trust. But he wanted to trust Kate.
“I guess I’d better find a seat,” he said, ready to move on. If he didn’t expect much, he wouldn’t be disappointed.
Kate looked confused and hurt, but nodded. “All right. And Parker, I’d love to get together with you sometime. Now that we’re both back here, no reason we can’t stay in touch.”
“Right,” he replied, thinking she was once again just being polite. “I’ll make a note of that.”
He took his cane and turned to leave, thinking he might just have to skip the fancy meal Steff had planned after all. He suddenly didn’t feel like going down memory lane.
But when he turned back to look at Kate, she was still standing there, that puzzled expression on her pretty face. Then she said something that really put his head in a dizzying spin.
“I still have it, you know.”
An alarm went off in his head. “Have…what?”
“The sketch you drew of me, remember?”
He’d only drawn her face about a thousand times, so yes, he did remember. “Yeah, sure.”
“You always were talented, Parker. I’m glad you kept at it.”
“Thanks.” He watched as she turned and walked away. And he had to wonder if he’d somehow misread her. Maybe Kate Brooks truly did want to take up where they’d left off, if only for the sake of their old friendship.
A friendship that could have been so much more, if they’d been given a chance.
A tap on Parker’s arm pulled him out of his memories. He was still at the police station, facing more questions.
“Ready to go back over this, Parker?” Nikki asked, dropping her badge onto the desk in front of them.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he replied. “I’ve already told you and Jim everything I know. Nikki, I didn’t have anything to do with this murder.”
“I sure hope not,” Nikki replied. “I like Kate. Always have. I’d hate to see her hurt.”
“But not me, right? I mean, you already think I’m guilty, don’t you?”
The detective gave him a blank look. “Not for me to say. I just follow the evidence.”
Parker reached inside his coat pocket. “Then you probably need to see this.”
“Oh, right. The thing you and Kate wanted to show us. Let’s have a look.” Surprised, Nikki glanced down at the two gaudy toy lockets inside the plastic bag.
“Well, well, that does add a new wrinkle. Where’d you get these, Parker? And why didn’t you show them to us right away?”
Parker let out a sigh and ignored the throbbing in his scarred right leg. “Why don’t I start at the beginning?”
TWO
Kate put the phone down then turned to her son. The expectant look on Brandon’s face broke